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A rare ivory netsuke of a merman Late 18th century image 1
A rare ivory netsuke of a merman Late 18th century image 2
A rare ivory netsuke of a merman Late 18th century image 3
Lot 72*,Y

A rare ivory netsuke of a merman
Late 18th century

The Harriet Szechenyi Sale of Japanese Art
8 November 2011, 10:30 GMT
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £15,000 inc. premium

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A rare ivory netsuke of a merman

Late 18th century
The bearded half man/half fish shown swimming, his head turned slightly to the right and his tail stretched out as he holds a fruit with foliage to his chest, the ivory is slightly worn and bears a good patina, unsigned. 6.7cm (2 5/8in).

Footnotes

象牙彫根付　男人魚　無銘　18世紀後期

While the mermaid is a subject often seen in netsuke, her male equivalent is relatively rare.

For a very similar example, see Frederick Meinertzhagen, The Art of the Netsuke Carver, 1956, pl.XVII, no.4. Compare also the example illustrated by Joseph Kurstin, Netsuke, Story Carvings of Old Japan, 1994, p.94.

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OKAMOTO RYŌZAN FOR THE YASUDA COMPANY A Small Ceramic Vase and Cover Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1900
A GROUP OF FOUR JAPANESE BRONZES Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th century,
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Ryoun: A SET OF SIX HIRADO PORCELAIN DISHES
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A BOXWOOD OKIMONO OF TWO MONKEYS HANGING FROM A BRANCH Japan, 20th century,
A RECTANGULAR MIXED-METAL INLAID BOX WITH TIGER MOTIF Japan, 20th century,
A POLYCHROME WOOD CARVING OF RANRYO-O, THE PRINCE OF LANLING Japan, 19th century
A BRONZE FIGURE OF A RECUMBENT LION Japan, Meiji period, late 19th century,
TWO ZUSHI (PORTABLE SHRINES) Edo period (1615-1868) or Meiji era (1868-1912), 19th century,
A LARGE STONEWARE PLATTER Bizen Ware Showa (1926-1989) or Heisei (1989-2019) era, 20th/21st century
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